Juan Soto is in his first year playing for the New York Yankees and seems to have adjusted seamlessly to life in the Bronx. He hit .295 in the first half with a .985 OPS, 23 home runs, and a league-leading 79 walks. That gives him a bWAR of 5.0 through 94 games.
But there are always differences when you switch leagues, particularly when you go from a so-called small market team in San Diego to the biggest brand in American sports. Former Yankee and current member of Fox's broadcast team, Alex Rodriguez, asked Soto about those differences during the MLB All-Star Game festivities on Monday.
“It’s just the fans,” Soto said. “They are right there every time…they want to win. They’re really hungry to win. And if they don’t get it, they’re just mad. I think it’s one of the beautiful things that they have. They’re one of the most impressive fan[bases] I’ve ever played for.”
Soto's right about the fans being there “every time.” The Yankees rank second in baseball in average attendance, bringing in 41,433 fans per game. That trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers' 47,769 average. The Yankees are also the third-biggest road attraction in baseball, attracting 32,542 per game in opposing ballparks.
While Yankees fans have been treated to an All-Star first half from Soto, the team has struggled for the past month. After building a healthy cushion through the first 10 weeks of the season, they have ceded first place to the Baltimore Orioles. They had a chance to grab first place right back in their final outing before the MLB All-Star Game, but a ninth-inning meltdown sent them into the break on a sour note.
How Juan Soto prepared to be a member of the Yankees
Derek Jeter, also a member of the Fox broadcast team, pointed out that stars often struggle when they first join the Yankees, but Soto did not. The 25-year-old right fielder explained that the mental aspect of playing in New York was part of his offseason preparation.
“It hasn’t been that easy but definitely I like to take a challenge,” he said. “I like to take a challenge and just step up. Even if I fail I’m gonna be right there with my head up and try to do it again. I just did that. I just take the challenge, I just went out there and tried to perform… tried to prepare myself in the offseason mentally and physically.”
There's more on the line for Soto this season than just delivering the first World Series to the Bronx since 2009. Soto will be a free agent at the end of the season.
The Yankees certainly want to bring Soto back, but it will come at a hefty cost. Just two years ago, he turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer from the Washington Nationals, who subsequently dealt him to the Padres. Since then, his star has only grown as he hit 35 home runs for San Diego last year and is on track for an even better 2024.
Most teams won't be able to afford whatever price tag Soto commands, but the Yankees will be one of the few who can. So will the cross-town Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants.
Soto is up to the challenge of playing in New York. Are the Yankees up to the challenge of keeping him there?
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